US Embassy personnel airlifted from Haiti amid state of emergency due to gang violence

Over the weekend, the United States military conducted an overnight operation to evacuate American non-essential personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Haiti as gang violence surged in the capital, Port-au-Prince. The Department of State requested the operation which also added additional security to the embassy.

“This airlift of personnel into and out of the embassy is consistent with our standard practice for embassy security augmentation worldwide, and no Haitians were on board the military aircraft,” the U.S. military’s Southern Command said in a statement.

“Our embassy remains focused on advancing U.S. government efforts to support the Haitian people, including mobilizing support for the Haitian National Police, expediting the deployment of the United Nations-authorized Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission and accelerating a peaceful transition of power via free and fair elections,” the Southern Command statement read.

Rising gang violence near the embassy and the airport prompted the State Department to relocate additional personnel. Despite the turmoil, the embassy remains open, actively supporting Haiti’s local police, advocating for security missions, and promoting peaceful power transitions.

The German Foreign Ministry said its ambassador and other EU representatives moved to the Dominican Republic due to security concerns. On Monday, leaders from Caribbean nations are set to meet to discuss the crisis in Haiti. They have invited the U.S., Canada, France, the U.N., and Brazil to attend the meeting.